Maine DOE selects student artwork for MLTI screensavers

“Landscape” by Liam Reading, a junior at Bangor High School, is one of the 22 pieces of student artwork that will be featured as screensavers or background images on MLTI devices.

AUGUSTA – Twenty-two young Maine artists will soon have an audience of tens of thousands of their fellow students and teachers for their artwork.

A painting, drawing or photograph from each of the 22 artists representing a dozen schools has been selected to be displayed during the 2014-15 academic year on devices provided to schools by the Maine Department of Education through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI).

Through MLTI, the State provides either an Apple iPad, MacBook Air or an HP ProBook laptop to all seventh and eighth graders and teachers in grades 7-12. High schools also have the option to participate by leasing competitively priced devices through the program for their students.

The more than 70,000 devices in schools through the initiative will feature the student artwork on their screensavers starting next fall. For MLTI devices without a screensaver setting, the images will be made available as a download, allowing students and teachers to set the image as their background.

More than 250 Maine students submitted images to be considered in this year’s contest, and an independent panel of three judges selected the winners.

The artwork challenge is an annual opportunity that has attracted entries from more than 1,200 students, grades K-12, during its six-year history. The students whose artwork was selected are also invited to attend the 2014 MLTI Student Conference free of charge.

Additionally, the winning artwork will be displayed at the Maine DOE’s offices in Augusta and on the Department’s MLTI website. Students will receive a letter of congratulations and certificate of accomplishment from Education Commissioner Jim Rier.

“I am incredibly impressed with the talent and creativity reflected in all of the entries received, especially those submitted by our 22 winners,” said Commissioner Rier. “Maine has long been celebrated for the art created by its citizens or inspired by its beauty, and these winning works show us that the next generation of Maine artists being developed in our schools today is continuing that rich tradition.”